It rains here. Not always dramatically — often it's a soft, persistent drizzle that leaves the pavements slick and the sky the colour of a wet flannel. The temptation is to write off the day, move the walk to "tomorrow" and settle onto the sofa. Do that for a fortnight and the rhythm is gone, and getting it back in March feels far harder than it did in September.

The trick isn't willpower. It's preparation: kit you trust, a couple of workouts that need no space, and a way of thinking about wet weather that treats it as a variable rather than a verdict.

Kit that makes the difference

Most people aren't put off by rain itself. They're put off by being cold and damp twenty minutes in. Two things fix that: a proper waterproof outer layer, and a base layer that moves sweat away from your skin. Cotton is the enemy — once it's wet it stays wet and chills you.

Water-resistant is not waterproof. A showerproof jacket will see you through a light drizzle. For anything sustained, look for taped seams and a hood that stays up in wind.

• Waterproof shell with taped seams and a drawcord hood
• Synthetic or merino base layer, never cotton
• Thin fleece or mid-layer for cold, windy days
• Cap with a brim — it keeps rain off your face and glasses
• Grippy shoes; trail trainers for mixed paths, wellies only for genuinely muddy fields
• Lightweight gloves and a buff for hands and ears
• Reflective tabard or armband if you're near traffic in low light
• Dry bag or zip-lock pouch for phone and keys

You don't need all of it. You need a jacket you trust and shoes that won't slide.

Indoor circuits for small spaces

A wet lunchtime is a good time for twenty minutes of strength work. No equipment, and nothing that will have the neighbours banging on the ceiling.

The basic circuit

1. Bodyweight squats — 40 seconds
2. Press-ups, on your knees, feet or against a wall — 40 seconds
3. Reverse lunges, alternating legs — 40 seconds
4. Glute bridges — 40 seconds
5. Dead bug or bird dog — 40 seconds
6. Plank or side plank — 30 to 40 seconds

Rest for 20 seconds between each exercise, then repeat the whole circuit three times. That's roughly eighteen minutes including rest, and it works legs, hips, core and chest in the space of a yoga mat. If you want more, add the stairs: two minutes of walking or jogging up and down between rounds.

When you only have ten minutes

Pick three exercises from the list. Do each for 45 seconds with 15 seconds' rest, then repeat twice. Three rounds, nine minutes, done. A short session you actually complete beats a long one you keep postponing.

Rainy walks worth putting your shoes on for

Walking in rain is fine — pleasant, even — if you choose the route with the weather in mind. Think about surfaces rather than distance.

Towpaths, riverside paths and park perimeters tend to be flat and drain well, and tree cover gives you natural shelter. Woods are excellent in light rain: the canopy keeps a good deal off you and the smell is worth the trip. Avoid exposed hilltops and open playing fields when it's blowing, and skip steep chalk or clay descents after heavy rain — that's where slips happen.

Time it well, too. Rain often eases. A quick glance at a rain radar can tell you whether to head out now or in forty minutes. If you're walking for fitness rather than transport, aim for a pace where you're slightly warm but can still hold a conversation. Twenty-five to thirty minutes is usually enough to lift a grey day.

One practical point: puddles hide potholes, uneven kerbs and loose paving. Take the first ten minutes slower than usual until your eyes adjust, and keep your phone somewhere you can reach without stopping in the middle of a path.

Motivation when the sky is grey

• Lower the bar. Ten minutes outdoors or one quick circuit indoors counts. Momentum is built from small sessions, not heroic ones.
• Set a fixed time. "I'll walk at one" survives a rainy day. "I'll go at some point" does not.
• Meet someone. A friend waiting at the gate is more persuasive than any rule you set yourself.
• Warm up before you leave. Two minutes of marching or squats indoors makes the first cold minute much easier to bear.
• Sort the drying routine. Radiator space, a boot tray, a hook by the door. Friction at the far end of a walk is what stops the next one happening.
• Track it visibly. A wall calendar with a tick for every active day is quietly satisfying and needs no app.

Build a wet-weather week

Rather than deciding daily, sketch out a week with two or three outdoor slots and a few indoor ones. Monday: twenty-minute circuit. Tuesday: walk, whatever the weather. Wednesday: rest or a stretch. Thursday: circuit plus stairs. Friday: shorter walk, or a swim if there's a pool nearby. Saturday: longer walk somewhere with tree cover. Sunday: rest.

The point isn't the exact plan. It's that rain changes which session you do, not whether you do one at all.

A few sensible cautions

If you're new to exercise, returning after illness or injury, pregnant, or managing a heart or lung condition, speak to your GP or a qualified instructor before starting something new. Take care on wet leaves and painted metal, both of which are genuinely slippery. Wear something visible at dusk, and don't head out in storms or flood water. If you feel unwell, stop and go home.

The short version

Buy one jacket you trust. Keep a twenty-minute circuit in your head that needs no equipment. Pick two walks that survive rain. Put a tick on the calendar. That's the whole system, and it will carry you from October to April without much drama — which is about the best you can ask of a British winter.

Photo: Yaroslav Shuraev / Pexels